Handgun stabilizer



Dec. 29, 1964 G. M. LA coss HANDGUN STABILIZER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1962 Dec. 29, 1964 G. M. LA COSS HANDGUN STABILIZER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1962 MTZa r 64 53a in Dec. 29, 1964 G. M. LA coss 3,162,966

HANDGUN STABILIZER Filed Oct. 25, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,162,966 HANDGUN STABILIZER Gregory M. La Coss, Falls Church, Va, assignor to La Cass Corporation, Falls Church, Va. Filed Oct. 25, 1962, Ser. No. 232,981 2 Claims. (Cl. 4272) This invention is generally directed to a device which will enable novices in the art of handgun shooting to attain a state of high proficiency within a period of time so short as would have been considered impossible heretofore. Further, it will enable the person skilled in that art to attain still higher proficiencies than those of which he is already capable. More particularly, my invention relates to a new and improved device for the stabilization of handguns.

Prior to this time, the devices which have been used for stabilizing handguns have been crude, elaborate, expensive, and have interfered with the physical operating characteristics of the gun with which they have been employed. And often times, unless these devices were used by a person already an expert, they could be dangerous indeed.

In contrast, the device which I contemplate is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, extremely easy to use for the expert and novice alike, and in no way interferes with the operating characteristics of the gun itself. Any standard handgun, whether of the revolver type or of the automatic type, can be quickly and easily converted to employ the stabilizer with no modification thereto necessary. Nor will the presence of the stabilizer detract in any way from the appearance of the firearm.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means of stabilizing a handgun.

Another object of my invention is the provision of means to enable the novice in the art of handgun shooting to attain an extremely high state of proficiency Within a very short period of time.

Still another object is to provide experts in the art of handgun shooting with a means of attaining even greater proficiency therein.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means to detachably secure thestabilizer element to the butt of a handgun, wherein said stabilizer element includes a cradle portion spaced a substantial distance from the securing means and an elongated central portion connecting the securing means to the cradle portion.

A further object of my invention is to provide securing means comprising a pair of parallel, spaced-apart plates adapated to be secured to opposite sides of the handgun butt adjacent the grip portions thereof.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a stabilizer element which is of semi-rigid construction, bendable for adjustment in order to fit the size of the person using the handgun.

Yet a further object of my invention is to provide a plastic-like covering on the stabilizer element for the purposes of protection and attractiveness.

A still further object is to provide socket means mounted adjacent the grips of the handgun and adapted to receive therein mating socket means formed at the forward most end of the stabilizer element.

Other and further objects of this invention will become more apparent upon reading the more complete description which follows. This description directs your attention to the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of the handgun stabilizer in firing position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view indicating the rela- 3,162,966 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 tive positions of gun, stabilizer, and arm immediately subsequent to firing;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view of one form of the stabilizer;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a modification of the handgun stabilizer;

FIGURE 5 is still another side elevation view indicating the lengthwise adjustability of the handgun stabilizer;

FIGURES 6, 7, and 8 are successive front elevation views of the same cradle portion indicating the width-wise adjustability of the handgun stabilizer;

FIGURE 9 is a partially cut-away perspective view of a section of the stabilizer element covered with a coating of plastic material;

FIGURE 10 is a view in perspective of a portion of the stabilizer element in a modified form having a pair of uncoated prongs at the forward end thereof;

FIGURE 11 is a side elevation view partially cut away and shows a prong of the stabilizer element fully received within one of the cylinders attached to the butt of the handgun, while FIGURE 12 shows the prong removed therefrom;

FIGURES 13 and 14 are rear elevation views which show closure caps on the cylinders, respectively, in their open and closed positions;

FIGURE 15 is a side elevation view which illustrates a modified handgun stabilizer in its intended use having a rest portion extending forward on the butt thereof;

FIGURE 16 is a showing of a handgun suspended from a wall bracketor the like by means of the stabilizer described herein thereby indicating the strength of the stabilizer;

FIGURE 17 is a side elevation showing of a handgun person handling the gun;

FIGURE 21 is a partial perspective showing of a modified form of stabilizer which is of welded rather than of twisted construction;

FIGURE 22 is a perspective view of the modified stabilizer shown in FIGURE 15, but detached from the gun.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, my invention is clearly illustrated in FIGURE 1 wherein the stabilizer is shown, at 30, secured to a handgun held in shooting .position. In FIGURE 3, the stabilizer is seen to consist of three complimentary parts, viz., securing means 32, the cradle portion 34 and the central connecting portion 36. Inasmuch as there is no physical break between the cradle portion 34 and the connecting portion 36, these are often collectively referred to herein as the stabilizer element. Securing means 32 comprises a pair of substantially parallel spaced-apart plates 38, and as shown in FIGURE 3, these might have a pair of holes 40 formed therein. These holes are located so as to coincide with the fasteners 42 by means of which hand grips 44 are fastened to the butt 46 of a handgun 48.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the stabilizer with a modified securing mean as at 38a having slots 50 formed therein allowing the securing means to be attached to the butt of the handgun without the necessity of fully removing fastening means 42 therefrom. In FIGURE 4, the construction of the stabilizer element is also clearly seen. Relatively heavy and tough steel wire would'be a desirable material; however, the invention is not to be limited to any particular material since it is only necessary, for the successful operation of the invention, that the material chosen have substantially the same characteristics as does steel wire when applied to the handgun stabilizer. Note how the wire is bent to form the substantially U-shaped cradle portion 34, having the two upwardly directed legs shown, then twisted as at 51 to form the connecting portion 36, and finally terminates at a pair of prongs or male attachment means 52. These prongs may be permanently secured to the upturned, rounded lower extremities 54 of plates 38 or 38a by a press fit, by welding, or by any other suitable means. The connecting portion 36 need not be twisted as shown in FIGURES 4, 9, and 10, but may be formed by welding the adjacent parallel lengths of wire as shown in FIG- URE 21 if that would be desirable.

Securing means 32 may also be provided with a pair of receptacles 54 adapted to snugly receive the prongs 52 therewithin as is most clearly illustrated in FIGURES 11, 12, 13, and 14. Receptacles 54 would preferably be cylindrical in shape and each may be formed integrally with plate 38, or may be formed separately and subsequently secured thereto by welding or by other suitable means. The forward end of each receptacle 54 is fitted with a permanent plug 56 while an O-ring 58 having an inner diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the prongs 52 is inserted within a toroidal cavity adjacent the opposite end of the receptacle. FIGURE 11 shows prong 52 fully inserted within receptacle 54 so that O-ring 58 becomes seated within a circular groove formed at 58a in each of said prongs (see FIGURE Each prong is snugly fitted within its mating receptacle, and with the aid of the cooperating O-ring and groove, the stabilizer element is fastened securely to the butt of the handgun. Yet the stabilizer element can be removed instantaneously if necessary (see FIGURE 12). As an added feature, swivel caps 62 might be provided to keep moisture and foreign matter from the confines of the receptacle when not in use.

All portions of the stabilizer element with the exception of prongs 52 are preferably coated with a rubberor plastic-like material as at 64 which is most clearly indicated in FIGURES 9, 10, 11, and 21. Such a coating serves a three-fold purpose. It can be colored to provide the stabilizer with an attractive appearance; it provides a surface more pleasing to the touch than bare metal; also it acts as a protective coating to prevent rusting or other corrosive tendencies of the metal. It might also be desirable to add a layer of sponge rubber or other padding material 66 on the cradle portion 34 as indicated in FIGURE in order to prevent possible irritation to the arm of a person using the device for prolonged periods of time.

It might also be desirable to provide a forward extension 68 to the stabilizer element as illustrated in FIG- URE 22. Such an extension could be used for a support as illustrated in FIGURE 15.

Having now provided the physical description of my handgun stabilizer as a background, a brief explanation of its operational qualities will now be presented. In order to shoot accurately with a handgun, it is necessary that after a sight has been made and a position selected, the gun must remain essentially motionless until after the trigger has been actuated. Of course, while it is impossible to prevent all motion to the gun while actuating the trigger, it must be held to an absolute minimum if one is to become an expert marksman. The movements which cause decreased marksmanship are those of pitch and yaw, that is, up-and-down motions and sideways motions.

It is well known that the human wrist serves as a universal joint between the hand and forearm thereby allowing the hand free movement relative to the forearm in the realms of pitch and yaw. For most human activities, this is, of course, a most advantageous condition. However, for handgun shooting, this flexibility is undesirable, and only the person who can hold this relative movement to an absolute minimum when shooting with a handgun will become an expert marksman. The present invention was devised with knowledge of this phenomenon in mind.

By means of the present invention, it is possible to reduce relative movement in pitch and yaw between the hand and forearm to an absolute minimum. My stabilizing device is of extremely simple and inexpensive construction, easily used, and will not interfere with the operating characteristics of the gun. In essence, it connects the butt of the gun directly with the forearm of the person shooting adjacent the elbow, thereby, in effect, freezing all movement of the wrist and holding the hand and forearm in an optimum relationship during the firing sequence. The stabilizer can be used in conjunction with revolvers and automatic pistols alike, and when used with the latter will not interfere with the removal or insertion of a cartridge clip 68 as is seen most clearly in FIGURE 5.

Although the stabilizer is sufficiently rigid to substantially reduce movement of the gun (FIGURE 16 is an attempt to show that a handgun can be suspended by means of the stabilizer without causing any alteration to its shape), yet it is sulficiently flexible to be able to fit any number of different users in rapid succession. As illustrated in FIGURE 5, the device can be easily adjusted in length from its solid-line position to its dottedline position so as to fit the particular individual enjoying its use. The cradle portion 34 is also easily adjusted in order to accommodate varying arm sizes as can be seen in FIGURES 6, 7, and 8.

Further, evidence of the safety of the stabilizer can be had by a glance at FIGURES 1 and 2. FIGURE 1 shows the gun and stabilizer in position for firing, while FIG- URE 2 shows the gun and stabilizer immediately subsequent to firing. Note, in FIGURE 1, how the shooters forearm rests securely within cradle portion 34. In FIGURE 2, however, the guns recoil has imparted a clockwise rotation (as indicated by the arrows) to the gun and stabilizer relative to the forearm. Thus, the recoil always serves to move the stabilizer out of contact with the shooters forearm thereby preventing any harm to him.

While the device would be of interest to the avid sportsman, it would be especially attractive to the amateur just beginning to shoot. It should also prove to be of great importance in training police and military personnel to fire handguns proficiently within a much shorter period of time than necessary heretofore.

VJhile the form of apparatus described herein constitutes a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for stabilizing a handgun of the type having a butt to two opposed lateral sides of which are secured hand grips, by restricting relative movement between the hand, wrist and forearm of the handgun user, said device comprising: a pair of relatively thin stabilizer plates each configured to be received and secured between the handgun butt and one of said handgrips; means defining an elongated socket secured to each stabilizer plate at the lower extent thereof for positioning subjacent the handgun butt; means defining a rearwardly facing opening into said socket; and a stabilizer element including an upwardly concavely curved cradle portion adapted to receive, vertically support, and laterally confine the forearm of the handgun user, and an elongated connecting portion,

said connecting portion being secured at a first end thereof to said cradle portion and having securement means at a second end thereof received in said elongated sockets.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the cradle portion comprises a substantially U-shaped wire having two upwardly directed legs, said elongated connecting portion.

comprises an integral, generally forwardly directed extension of each of said legs and said securement means comprises a forwardly directed prong on each extension said prongs being movably, slidably received in said sockets.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 502,686 8/93 Tilton 287-119 Coombs 248107 Marshall 4272 Leach 42-71 Farber 42-73 Stam 4294 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR STABILIZING A HANDGUN OF THE TYPE HAVING A BUTT TO TWO OPPOSED LATERAL SIDES OF WHICH ARE SECURED HAND GRIPS, BY RESTRICTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE HAND, WRIST AND FOREARM OF THE HANDGUN USER, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING: A PAIR OF RELATIVELY THIN STABILIZER PLATES EACH CONFIGURED TO BE RECEIVED AND SECURED BETWEEN THE HANDGUN BUTT AND ONE OF SAID HANDGRIPS; MEANS DEFINING AN ELONGATED SOCKET SECURED TO EACH STABILIZER PLATE AT THE LOWER EXTENT THEREOF FOR POSITIONING SUBJACENT THE HANDGUN BUTT; MEANS DEFINING A REARWARDLY FACING OPENING INTO SAID SOCKET; AND A STABILIZER ELEMENT INCLUDING AN UPWARDLY CONCAVELY CURVED CRADLE PORTION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE, VERTICALLY SUPPORT, AND LATERALLY CONFINE THE FOREARM OF THE HANDGUN USER, AND AN ELONGATED CONNECTING PORTION, SAID CONNECTING PORTION BEING SECURED AT A FIRST END THEREOF TO SAID CRADLE PORTION AND HAVING SECUREMENT MEANS AT A SECOND END THEREOF RECEIVED IN SAID ELONGATED SOCKETS. 